Student Orgs

So "BSU," it stands for "Black Student Union." We are around the nation. If I remember correctly, there are Black Student Union clubs, in every college and university here in Utah. We love to help out with financial planning since that's a big deal with college students going into adulthood. We help with emotional support because college is very much stressful. I can tell you that last semester was my stressfulest semester here at Snow. And it really helped being a part of Black Student Union.

And we're also a family. When you're here at college, especially if you're in a bigger college, you sometimes feel like you're alone, that you have no place on campus. But being a part of BSU is a bigger part of just being a part of club. It's part of a family and having a social life and feeling like you matter, and you have others to rely on when you need help. And that's why we help with homework, emotional support, and fun all around.

It's just-- that's our number one challenge is ethnicity and trying to get ethnicity here. And also recruiting that, oh my god, this is such a big problem for us, because we are named Black Student Union, those who are Caucasian, and I've heard a couple of times, "Oh, well, I shouldn't be a part of it." But as President, I try to bring in as many different ethnicities. We have someone who's Russian in our club, two Caucasians, Mexican half-and-half, full. And that's one of our biggest problems. Even if we do have that ethnicity, we still struggle to achieve that ethnicity.

Last year, when I came here to Snow College, it's mandatory for diversity students who have a scholarship to be a part of a diversity club. And that's how I joined Black Student Union because I had to and I was myself, I was super nervous, because I'm like, "Oh my gosh, I'm half Caucasian. Even if I am half black, will they accept me fully?" And they did. It was really awesome, actually. So when we had all those Caucasians, I was like, "Oh my god, this is so fantastic. I wanted to take a picture to make sure that I remembered that day." But it was so awesome. I love it. I love all ethnicities.

And when we have club rush, or if I'm talking to people, about BSU, I make sure like, that's my biggest thing. I want inclusiveness. I don't want just Black students. I want every student no matter what you are if you are a trans, if you're gay, or lesbian or anything I want you to come. And that's one thing that I struggle about. But I definitely want that to keep happening. As president, when I first started out, I was like, "Man, before I leave, I just want to change BSU. I want to get a lot of people and I want to make sure financial planning is the biggest part that we do."

So for me having this what's the word I'm thinking about? Having this opportunity, I feel like it can help the BSU grow because not a lot of people know about BSU or they're iffy on it and just having this I feel like it could help. And that's why we have Black History Month. We have our Soul Food Night, which is amazing. I'm so excited this year. We have our panel and our panel helps people answer questions about politics, and race in general.

This year, we're hoping to focus on love and also our dance which just brings other people together. And, by being a part of that, I think in the next three years, with this semester and next semester and last semester, it's just going to keep on bringing people in because we want to bring people in and we want to make sure that we're not divided but we are together as one.